Tough Decisions
by Lily Hanson
Summary: "If you don't want to be a father, that's fine," Mr. Fisher said as he followed Mr. Morgan out. A task made easy by the fact that it seemed Mr. Morgan was barely able to hold himself up, never mind march out of the cafe. "But if that's the case, the decent thing to do would be to stay out of her life. What makes you think it's at all appropriate to show up like this?"
1. Birthday Surprises

_Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers Dino Charge. This story is fan-made._

Kendall made her way through the museum, her tablet in hand. Generally, she could read it without any issues but today it had her baffled. Despite only a couple of them being scheduled to work, all of the Rangers were in the museum. Yet, wherever she looked, she couldn't find them. She had tried the cafe, she had tried the exhibits. She even tried the loading dock, thinking maybe she had forgotten about a shipment. Her tablet must have been wrong. Maybe there was a problem with her scanners. Perhaps it wasn't picking up on their energem's signals correctly.

Finding one of her tour guides, she briefly interrupted him to ask after Chase, figuring it would raise the least suspicion if she asked after her boyfriend rather than the entire team. The tour guide seemed confident in his answer that Chase had mentioned waiting for her in her office. Kendall thanked her employee, but didn't think he had been much help. What would Chase be doing in her office? He knew it was just for show.

Still, it was the only lead she had so she made her way down. When she walked in, she wasn't surprised to see it empty. Neither Chase nor the other Rangers were there. However, on her desk was a note. She picked it up, reading it quickly. The note told her to take the slide down to the lab.

"This better be good," she said and opened up the tunnel with the slide. When she made her way down, the lab was dark. She tried to look around for the light switch. When she found it, she flicked it on. Suddenly, she heard a loud pop, streamers seem to fall from the sky, and her whole team and her parents were standing at her work station, yelling out "Surprise!". What was most shocking was the lab looked completely restored.

"What is this?" Kendall asked, clutching her hand to her chest as she was caught off guard. Her mother approached her with a smile.

"It's your birthday party."

"My birthday was a week and a half ago," Kendall answered.

"But I missed it," Cammy said as she rushed over with a big box in her hands, wrapped in a purple bow. "So we had to celebrate again."

Kendall took the box that was clearly for her and opened it. Inside, she found a couple of little gifts from everyone. She received a necklace from Chase, a new chess set from Riley and Tyler and Shelby put their money together to pay for a cave art style painting of a plesiosaur (or at least, that was what they told her. Given the art seemed familiar, Kendall assumed they had paid Koda. Still, she loved the gift). Ivan offered Kendall a gold token he had received from the King of Zandar in his time and Koda had made Kendall a friendship bracelet, likely having relied on Cammy both for the idea and to teach him how.

But what intrigued Kendall most was the large brown envelop in the box. She reached in and took it out, looking rather confused by it before her mother spoke.

"We really hope you like it," she said. Kendall wasn't sure what it could be. She knew her mother, on occasion, liked to paint, and thought maybe it was a piece of art, though the envelop was much too thin to be on canvas. Maybe it was a letter from her parents that they had written to her shortly after she left.

She was definitely curious to see what was inside, and wasted no time tearing open the envelope. As she did, she couldn't help but noting in the corner of her eye Cammy beaming with excitement. It was as if the little girl couldn't contain how happy she was for Kendall to be receiving the gift.

When Kendall finally pulled out the contents of the envelope, she could see why. Inside was a new birth certificate and several adoption forms. She frowned, looking up at her parents.

"I don't understand," she said before reading the birth certificate and noticing that the Fishers were listed as her parents. "I..."

"You're now my sister!" Cammy cried out happily, wrapping her arms around Kendall. "It's real and everything!"

"I... For real?" Kendall removed her glasses. She couldn't see anything without them, but the gift before her was so unbelievable, she didn't know what else to do. Her mother nodded her head.

"Jon and I were devastated the night we had to refuse your adoption," she explained. "And seeing the way it hurt you, we've never lived that pain down."

"We always wanted to make you a part of our family," Mr. Fisher continued with a big smile. "But as we explained before, at the time it just wasn't best for you that we legally bring you into our family. Things are different now, you're back in our lives and with everything that's going on, your mother, brother, sister and I all agreed that it was best that legally you were just as much a part of our family as anyone else."

"But... how?" Kendall asked, shaking her head with utmost confusion.

"I've been working overtime quite a bit to get this favour in," her father said. "I managed to pull a few strings to get this done secretly. And Shelby here was a big help."

"Shelby?" Kendall turned to the pink Ranger, the shock obvious on her face. Shelby shrugged.

"They did need your consent," Shelby explained. "And we all know you're most dismissive of me. So we used that to our advantage. That inventory sheet I had you sign a few months back was actually a form giving your consent to being adopted but being unable to attend the court date due to pressing personal matters. I waited until you were extremely busy in the lab so you wouldn't bother to read it over."

"And she did great," Mrs. Fisher said as she put her arms around Shelby. "We just hope this is okay."

"It's... incredible," Kendall nodded her head, still a little surprised by the gift. Cammy nodded as well.

"I didn't even know grownups could get adopted!"

"I can't believe this. Any of this," Kendall said as she looked around the lab. "This is amazing. Everything looks great. The adoption..."

"Still don't think birthdays are a good idea?" Jeremy teased her. Kendall smiled before she felt a tug on her arm that almost made her drop her gifts. It was Cammy, trying to get her to head towards the cake. However, just as they arrived at the table, Kendall's work phone rang. Just as she was about to answer it, her father took it from her hands.

"You're not working today," he told her. "You're celebrating."

"My employees know only to call if it's urgent."

"Then I can handle it," Mr. Fisher insisted and took the phone from her. "Have fun. Whatever they need, I think I can take of it."

Kendall nodded, allowing her father to leave with her phone to handle the matter. Mr. Fisher made his way to the elevator, taking it up to the museum. Once there, he made his way to the front entrance.

"My daughter's busy in a meeting," he said. "She asked me to handle the matter."

The woman gestured to the cafe. Mr. Fisher thanked her and walked over. At first glance, the cafe was running smoothly. Customers were placing orders which were being made and brought out in a timely manner. Everyone seemed happy. But Mr. Fisher noticed one man sitting in the back corner in a booth by himself. He seemed very sickly, almost like he should have been in the hospital instead of spending the day in a museum. The father of three had a feeling this was where the problem lay and decided to make his way over.

"Have you placed an order?" he asked, trying to be friendly just in case this man wasn't causing any trouble.

"I'm waiting for my daughter."

"Would you like us to page for her?"

"I've already asked for that. She's not coming."

"If she's somewhere in the museum, I'm sure we can find her. The tour guides are pretty good at remembering faces. I'm sure they've seen her."

"They know her," the man said, looking up at Mr. Fisher with anger. "She's their boss."

Mr. Fisher felt his blood run cold. There was no way...

"Mr. Morgan?" he asked and the man nodded.

"Tell my damn daughter that if she doesn't show up, I'm causing a scene."

"You don't have a daughter," Mr. Fisher stated as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You gave her up."

"Is that what she's saying?"

"That's the message I received," Mr. Fisher nodded. "When her social worker approached my wife and I saying our foster daughter was legally able to be adopted because her father had finally given up his rights."

Mr. Morgan looked a little shocked to be staring at the man who had looked after his daughter all these years and suddenly didn't seem to want to cause much disruption. He tried to get out of the booth, but Mr. Fisher grabbed his arm.

"You have some nerve showing up here."

"You don't even know why I'm here."

"I know what you've done. I know how much you hurt my little girl. Especially lately."

"Me? Hurt her?"

"Where were you when she needed you?" Mr. Fisher growled. "When she was crying out for a father, why didn't you show up?"

"I don't have to put up with any of this."

"If you don't want to be a father, that's fine," Mr. Fisher said as he followed Mr. Morgan out. A task made easy by the fact that it seemed Mr. Morgan was barely able to hold himself up, never mind march out of the cafe. "But if that's the case, the decent thing to do would be to stay out of her life. What makes you think it's at all appropriate to show up like this? To ask her for anything?"

"Don't follow me."

"You have nothing to give my daughter," Mr. Fisher stated firmly. "You have no reason to be here. Whatever you have to say, she doesn't need to hear it. Do you hear me?"

Mr. Morgan stopped walking, but he didn't answer. Mr. Fisher came around so he was face to face with him. "Do you hear me, you bastard? She doesn't need to..."

Mr. Fisher was interrupted with Mr. Morgan suddenly collapsed into his arms. Mr. Fisher brought him to the floor, trying to rouse him, but when it was clear he wouldn't be successful he shouted out to one of the waiters to call an ambulance.

"Shit," he muttered.


	2. Dying Wish

Mr. Fisher paced back and forth in the hospital waiting room. Conflict filled his entire being. On the one hand, he hoped Mr. Morgan would lose his fight for his life. He had done so much wrong by Kendall, and caused her so much trouble over the years, it would be best for her if he just disappeared from her life. On the other hand, Mr. Morgan couldn't go out like this. Not while demanding to see Kendall in her museum and not on the day they were finally getting to celebrate her birthday. Her biological father could not die on the day she learned her new family had adopted her.

A doctor came out, looking more than a little tired. He called out for family for Mr. Morgan, so Mr. Fisher approached him.

"It's not looking good," the doctor said honestly and then went on to explain that Mr. Morgan was in desperate need for a kidney. He followed up, saying they had put him at the top of the transplant list and could only hope for the best at this point.

"And if he doesn't get a kidney?" Mr. Fisher asked.

"He'll succumb to his illness," the doctor put it nicely, but Mr. Fisher knew exactly what he meant. The doctor then continued. "Being at the top of the transplant list gives him a good chance. You never know when an organ will become available. However, we can speed things along with a donation."

"I'm sorry. That's just not possible."

"The decision is entirely up to you and your family," the doctor said. "However, in order to save the life of your..."

"My daughter's estranged biological father," Mr. Fisher said and immediately the doctor's face fell as he understood the situation.

"Ah..."

"Is there another way?" Mr. Fisher asked.

"I'm afraid a transplant is the only option we have left at this point. Mr. Morgan doesn't have long. I hate to ask this question, but you aren't aware of any family members, are you?"

"I... Kendall doesn't speak much of her family," Mr. Fisher shook her head. "I think he lived with his mother for a time. She may still be alive. But I don't have a name or number or any way to contact her."

"Any other relatives?" the doctor asked. "Someone who may be able to help him? Any siblings?"

Mr. Fisher shook his head.

"Aunts, uncles?"

Again, Mr. Fisher shook his head. "As far as I'm aware, it's just him, his mother and my daughter."

"Your daughter wouldn't be..."

"He's already asked her," Mr. Fisher answered, cutting the doctor off before he could say anything. "He's just going to have to sit and wait for a donor."

"And I remind you, the chances are higher now that he's at the top of the list," the doctor said. "However, he doesn't have long, and it could be some time still before there's a match."

Hearing this put a little smile on Mr. Fisher's face. He felt terribly for it, but couldn't suppress the feeling in his gut that this was karma finally getting back at Mr. Morgan for the terrible things he had done to his daughter. Shaking his head, he forced away the smile and looked to the doctor.

"Can I see him, at least? Maybe I can get something out of him."

The doctor nodded his head and brought Mr. Fisher to Mr. Morgan's room. Mr. Fisher closed the door behind him as he walked in and pulled a chair over to Mr. Morgan's bed. He sat down, looking to the sickly man for just a moment.

"You must be thrilled," Mr. Morgan said.

"I'm actually pretty torn up about this," Mr. Fisher admitted. "You've put me in a real difficult spot."

"You're not the one waiting on a kidney," Mr. Morgan grumbled. "It's probably not going to come. I'm probably going to die here."

"Hey, cheer up. You never know. Maybe someone will have a kidney to share with you."

"You're not a very good liar."

"I'm just instilling in you the same questionable sense of hope the social worker repeatedly tried to beat into my daughter," Mr. Fisher leaned back in his seat.

"So this is revenge?" Mr. Morgan chuckled, rolling his eyes. "This is just great. If you loved my kid so much, why didn't you just adopt her?"

"I did. I would have, the moment she appeared at my door."

"Why didn't you then?"

"Why did you wait so long to give up your parental rights?" Mr. Fisher asked. "Why didn't you just come clean with social services the day you got the first letter? Why did you have to be an ass about getting your daughter the family she deserves? Why did you leave her in foster care for nearly four years with people constantly telling her not to give up, that one day, she would be adopted?"

"You think you're better than me because you took care of my kid?"

"I have three children who call me their father; three beautiful children who I love with all my heart and for whom I would gladly lay down my life. I have made sacrifices and I have learned so much about being a good father and being a better person because of my three children. You have sacrificed nothing. You have learned nothing."

"Then give me the chance to change," Mr. Morgan bartered. "Why don't you offer your kidney to me and see if some of that magic good person pixie dust is going to rub off on me."

"I can't do that."

"It's the right thing to do," Mr. Morgan said. "Are you telling me you're not going to practice what you preach?"

"I'm telling you I have one kidney currently. I donated the other to a co-worker's son many, many years ago."

"Perfect," Mr. Morgan rolls his eyes. "Are you up for human of the year award or something? Giving out kidneys, taking in broken children..."

"My daughter is not broken."

"She was my daughter first, and trust me, there's something wrong with her," Mr. Morgan said. "She's selfish, she's annoying. She takes after her mother, you know. I wasn't surprised when we bumped into each other again and she turned out to be a self-centered bitch."

"Good luck with the list," Mr. Fisher said as he rose from his seat and walked to the door.

"I want to see my daughter," Mr. Morgan demanded when he saw Mr. Fisher leaving. "You bring her here. You let me talk some sense into her!"

"Goodbye, Tom," Mr. Fisher said and closed the door behind him as he walked out.


	3. A Father's Love

Mr. Fisher tossed and turned in bed that night, unable to relax long enough to let himself fall asleep.

The night had been a success. After he left the hospital, he returned to Kendall's surprise party to spend the evening with his family. It turned out, the Rangers were having so much fun, it never occurred to them how long he had been away. His wife, of course, had noticed, but hadn't brought it up until after, allowing the Fishers and the Rangers to enjoy the party fully. Most importantly, Kendall had a great night with her friends and family. Mr. Fisher got to see her smile, hear her laugh, and watch her interact with her friends like they had known each other their whole lives. It filled his heart to see her having a great time and to see all three of his kids were enjoying themselves and each other's company.

It was a dream come true for him. But when the party was over and everyone returned home, guilt washed over Mr. Fisher. He hadn't told Kendall her father had come to the museum. He hadn't told her he had passed out and needed to be taken to hospital in an ambulance. He hadn't said a word to anyone except his wife.

"Jon?" Mrs. Fisher called out when her husband's constant rolling over woke her up. She turned to him, looking sympathetic. "She made her decision. One we didn't push her into."

"It's just..." Mr. Fisher got out of bed and started to pace the room. "It doesn't matter what a piece of paper says. It doesn't matter what she wants. He's still her father."

"You are her father," Mrs. Fisher insisted. "You're the man she trusts."

"I just feel like I'm betraying her with this," Mr. Fisher said.

"She had her chance to donate her kidney. It torn her up to refuse him once. You think seeing him on his death bed will make that decision easier?"

"It's the honest thing to do. She is a woman."

"That man has done nothing for her. And every time he's even mentioned, we're picking up the pieces," Mrs. Fisher sat up in the bed and looked at her husband sternly. "I'm tired of seeing our daughter fall apart over this man. I'm tired of having to remind her of how extraordinary she is. This isn't fair for her."

"And lying to her is?"

"What'll be accomplished if we tell her?" Mrs. Fisher asked. "What is it you think she'll gain out of this?"

"The chance to say goodbye?" Mr. Fisher tried, running his hands through his hair. "I don't know, Bella. It just makes me sick thinking we're hiding this."

"We are her family, Jon. We're the people she loves, and we're the ones who love her back. That's all she needs."

"But if she finds out..."

"You want to break her now so she's not broken later?"

"Kendall is not broken," Mr. Fisher growled and found himself frustrated he had to repeat himself with that bit. "Our daughter is strong, beautiful and smart."

"I know that," Mrs. Fisher nodded. "She's also a good woman, with a good heart and good intentions. She felt poorly turning her father down for a kidney once. We tell her now; we're only going to be guilt tripping her. We lied to Jeremy. We're inevitably going to lie to Cammy. Kendall is the same. We're going to lie to her to."

"What did we tell Jeremy that was a big as his father dying?"

"Kendall's father isn't dead yet," Mrs. Fisher clarified. "And don't you remember when you ran over Smokey in the driveway?"

Mr. Fisher hissed and nodded his head. They had told seven year old Jeremy that Smokey the cat had found himself a lady cat and he had moved out to start his own family. Jeremy, believing his parents never lied, easily believed their tale, completely oblivious his beloved pet had been killed.

"Jeremy eventually learned the truth and understood we only meant to spare him pain."

"You don't think it's different when it's a person?"

"I think we should get another cat. I miss Smokey."

"Bella, focus."

"No, I don't think withholding the truth from Kendall now is different. She's already decided not to give her father a kidney. We had no say in that decision, even though we do support it. If we tell her, she'll either push herself into doing something she'll eventually regret, or she'll force herself to sit by his bedside until he passes while he puts her down. Either way, I sense a lot of regret."

Mr. Fisher sighed and lowered himself down on the bed. Mrs. Fisher rubbed his back.

"You are a good father. That's what Kendall needs. That's what all our kids need."

"She's smart, though. I just hate lying to her."

"She'll be okay," Mrs. Fisher reminded him.

"I'll just check up on the kids," Mr. Fisher said and rose from the bed before he made his way out of the room. He snuck down the hall, quiet so as not to disturb anyone and carefully opened the door to Kendall and Cammy's room. A night light had been left on for Cammy, allowing Mr. Fisher to see his daughters wrapped up in each other's arms with a book on top of them. Dinosaurs; not that he was surprised.

He smiled at his two girls. They were the two children who had fallen into his lap, with Kendall showing up on his doorstep one day, almost completely out of the blue, and Cammy ,who made her way into Kendall's heart and then surprisingly and quickly into the Fisher family.

He loved them both so deeply; he surprised himself with it from time to time. When he and his wife had considering fostering and adopting, he had his doubts on whether he could love an adopted child as much as his own. Jeremy was his son – his little boy. When he looked at him, he could see a reflection of himself and of his wife, and yet, a whole new person. Even shortly after taking Kendall in, he wasn't sure he would ever love his daughter that much.

He quickly found himself proven wrong. Of course, he had a special love for his son – for the child who shared his blood. It was a type of love he would never share with Kendall and Cammy. However, at the same time, there was a special love for the two children he had adopted. It was different, but equal the way he felt for his son, and it was irreplaceable.

Upon watching them sleep, he found himself enraged, not with them, not with the situations that brought them into his life, but with the people who had left them behind. He was forever grateful they were his children and a part of his heart, but he truly despised what people had done to them. It killed him to think they had fathers who left them, and mothers who cared more about the drinks they swallowed than their own daughters. It completely devastated him that two girls who deserved the world were given little to nothing at the beginning of their lives.

They deserved better. They deserved to be happy, safe, and loved. Mr. Fisher still worried of his daughter's reaction to finding out her father was dying and not being made aware of it as soon as possible, but he decided it was for the best. She was happy; she was living the life she deserved. He wouldn't let her father ruin that for her. He wouldn't let him rob her of her happiness once more.

He snuck inside the room to turn off the night light. In Kendall's arms, Mr. Fisher knew Cammy wouldn't need it. No light could protect her any more than her big sister. Then, he wished his daughters both a good night before he headed back to his own bed.


End file.
